Associate Professor Alison Pearce
Senior Lecturer, Health economics
Alison is a health economist interested in the various costs of cancer. Her research aims to use health services research and health economics to improve cancer care by providing relevant, reliable information for decision making.
- The economics of cancer
- Discrete choice experiments and patient preferences
- Measuring and valuing lost productivity, including unpaid productivity
- Anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence among people with cancer
- Health economics and cost-effectiveness analysis in cancer, occupational therapy and allied health
- Preferences for quality of life and survival among people with cancer
- Assessing response validity in discrete choice experiments
- Assessing people's preferences for genomic-risk based cancer screening
- Assessing the cost-effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence in breast cancer screening
- Investigating women's preferences for the role of artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening
- Measuring cost-effectiveness of supporting clinicians to provide smoking cessation support to pregant women
- Measuring and valuing lost productivity, particularly unpaid productivity
- Anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence among people with cancer
- Health economics and cost-effectiveness analysis in occupational therapy, including lymphoedema intervention, pressure care management and constraint-induced movement therapy
- Australia New Zealand Health Services Research Association, Vice-President, Public Officer, and 2022 Conference Convenor, 2017 – current
- Pharmaco-economics Open, Editorial Board member, 2016 - current
- Society for Medical Decision Making, member, 2018 - current
- Economic Society of Australia, member, 2018 – current
- Fellow of the International Academy for Health Preferences Research, member, 2016 – current
- Health Economics Study Group (UK), member, 2014 – current
- Australian Health Economics Society, member, 2012 – current, and mentoring sub-committee member (2020 - current)
- International Health Economics Association, member, 2011 – current
- International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, member, 2009 – current
- 2021 - Sydney Cancer Conference 3rd Prize, Best Mini-oral and poster presentation for "Patient preferences for prostate cancer treatment"
- 2018 - HSRAANZ Best Health Services and Policy Research paper for "Productivity losses due to premature mortality from cancer in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS): A population-based comparison"
- 2016 - HESG Best Poster Presentation Award "Cognitive interviewing highlights unanticipated decision making in a discrete choice experiment"
- 2015 - MASCC Young Investigator of the Year Award "Comparing the costs of three prostate cancer follow-up strategies: A cost minimiation analysis"
- 2015 - ISPOR Best New Investigator Podium Presentation Award "The burden of cancer in emerging economies: productivity loss as an alternative perspective"
(Instituto Nacional de Cancer - Ministerio da Saude) Project: Productivity losses due to premature mortality from cancer in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS): A population-based comparison. This international collaborative project, led by Alison Pearce, was supported by an HRB Ireland Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement Award and an EU COST Action IS1211 CANWON funded Short Term Scientific Mission. The project publication is in the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetrics and won Best Health Services & Policy paper from HSRAANZ (2018). It has been referenced in reports to policy makers including the UK Government, the South African Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India. | |
(Instituto Nacional de Cancer - Ministerio da Saude) The economic burden of productivity loss due to cancer in Brazil, 2015 - 2030. This ongoing project is supported by MSD Oncology and has been praised (at the launch symposium in April 2019) for its focus on disparity and inequities between geographic regions of Brazil. | |
(University of British Columbia) Do people understand discrete choice experiments | |
(WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)) Lost productivity due to cancer in Europe | |
(National College of Ireland) Project: Lost productivity due to cancer in Europe | |
(Petrov National Research Medical Center of Oncology) Recent and future productivity losses associated with premature cancer mortality in Russia: a population-based study covering 2001-2030 | |
(Health Economics Research Unit, University of Aberdeen) Do people understand discrete choice experiments? |
Publications
Journals
- Jolliffe, L., Christie, L., Fearn, N., Nohrenberg, M., Liu, R., Williams, J., Parsons, M., Pearce, A. (2024). A systematic review of discrete choice experiments in stroke rehabilitation. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation. [More Information]
- Newman, B., Tieu, T., Chamberlain, S., Harrison, R., Pearce, A., Bowden, J., Jessup, R., Christie, L., Livingstone, A., Sarkies, M., Killedar, A., et al (2024). Engaging With Health Consumers in Scientific Conferences—As Partners not Bystanders. Health Expectations, 27(4), e14147. [More Information]
- Salisbury, A., Pearce, A., Howard, K., Norris, S. (2024). Impact of Structural Differences on the Modeled Cost-Effectiveness of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing. Medical Decision Making. [More Information]
2024
- Jolliffe, L., Christie, L., Fearn, N., Nohrenberg, M., Liu, R., Williams, J., Parsons, M., Pearce, A. (2024). A systematic review of discrete choice experiments in stroke rehabilitation. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation. [More Information]
- Newman, B., Tieu, T., Chamberlain, S., Harrison, R., Pearce, A., Bowden, J., Jessup, R., Christie, L., Livingstone, A., Sarkies, M., Killedar, A., et al (2024). Engaging With Health Consumers in Scientific Conferences—As Partners not Bystanders. Health Expectations, 27(4), e14147. [More Information]
- Salisbury, A., Pearce, A., Howard, K., Norris, S. (2024). Impact of Structural Differences on the Modeled Cost-Effectiveness of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing. Medical Decision Making. [More Information]
2023
- De Camargo Cancela, M., Bezerra de Souza, D., Leite Martins, L., Borges, L., Schilithz, A., Hanly, P., Sharp, L., Pearce, A., Soejomataram, I. (2023). Can the sustainable development goals for cancer be met in Brazil? A population-based study. Frontiers in Oncology, 12. [More Information]
- Hanly, P., Ortega Ortega, M., Pearce, A., De Camargo Cancela, M., Soerjomataram, I., Sharp, L. (2023). Estimating Global Friction Periods for Economic Evaluation: A Case Study of Selected OECD Member Countries. PharmacoEconomics. [More Information]
- Venning, B., Bergin, R., Pearce, A., Lee, A., Emery, J. (2023). Factors affecting patient decisions to undergo testing for cancer symptoms: an exploratory qualitative study in Australian general practice. BJGP Open, 7(1). [More Information]
2022
- Marinovich, M., Wylie, E., Lotter, W., Pearce, A., Carter, S., Lund, H., Waddell, A., Kim, J., Pereira, G., Lee, C., Brennan, M., Houssami, N., et al (2022). Artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance breast cancer screening: protocol for population-based cohort study of cancer detection. BMJ Open, 12(1), e054005-1-e054005-8. [More Information]
- Hassett, L., Jennings, M., Brady, B., De Barros Pinheiro, M., Haynes, A., Sidhu, B., Christie, L., Dennis, S., Pearce, A., Howard, K., Sherrington, C., et al (2022). Brief physical activity counselling by physiotherapists (BEHAVIOUR): protocol for an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type II cluster randomised controlled trial. Implementation Science Communications, 3(1), 39-1-39-18. [More Information]
- Christie, L., Fearn, N., McCluskey, M., Lovarini, M., Rendell, R., Pearce, A. (2022). Cost-Effectiveness of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Implementation in Neurorehabilitation: The ACTIveARM Project. PharmacoEconomics - Open, 6(3), 437-450. [More Information]
2021
- Williams, J., Pearce, A., Smith, A. (2021). A systematic review of fear of cancer recurrence related healthcare use and intervention cost-effectiveness. Psycho-Oncology, 30(8), 1185-1195. [More Information]
- Yu, A., Street, D., Viney, R., Goodall, S., Pearce, A., Haywood, P., Haas, M., Battaglini, E., Goldstein, D., Timmins, H., Park, S. (2021). Clinical assessment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a discrete choice experiment of patient preferences. Supportive Care in Cancer, 29(11), 6379-6387. [More Information]
- Manipis, K., Goodall, S., Hanly, P., Viney, R., Pearce, A. (2021). Employer survey to estimate the productivity friction period. The European Journal of Health Economics, 22(2), 255-266. [More Information]
2020
- Hanly, P., Ortega Ortega, M., Pearce, A., Soerjomataram, I., Sharp, L. (2020). Advances in the methodological approach to friction period estimation: A European perspective. Social Science and Medicine, 264, 113289. [More Information]
- Smith, B., Bamgboje-Ayodele, A., Butow, P., Klein, B., Turner, J., Sharpe, L., Fardell, J., Beatty, L., Pearce, A., Thewes, B., et al (2020). Development and usability evaluation of an online self- management intervention for fear of cancer recurrence (iConquerFear). Psycho-Oncology, 29(1), 98-106. [More Information]
- Mols, F., Tomalin, B., Pearce, A., Kaambwa, B., Koczwara, B. (2020). Financial toxicity and employment status in cancer survivors. A systematic literature review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 28(12), 5693-5708. [More Information]
2019
- Pearce, A., Tomalin, B., Kaambwa, B., Horevoorts, N., Duijts, S., Mols, F., van de Poll-Franse, L., Koczwara, B. (2019). Financial toxicity is more than costs of care: the relationship between employment and financial toxicity in long-term cancer survivors. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 13(1), 10-20. [More Information]
- Barchuk, A., Bespalov, A., Huhtala, H., Chimed, T., Belyaev, A., Moore, M., Anttila, A., Auvinen, A., Pearce, A., Soerjomataram, I. (2019). Productivity losses associated with premature mortality due to cancer in Russia: A population-wide study covering 2001-2030. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 47(5), 482-491. [More Information]
2018
- Shaw, J., Pearce, A., Lopez, A., Price, M. (2018). Clinical anxiety disorders in the context of cancer: A scoping review of impact on resource use and healthcare costs. European Journal of Cancer Care, 27(5), 1-9. [More Information]
- Pearce, A., Sharp, L., Hanly, P., Barchuk, A., Bray, F., de Camargo Cancela, M., Gupta, P., Meheus, F., Qiao, Y., Sitas, F., et al (2018). Productivity losses due to premature mortality from cancer in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS): A population-based comparison. Cancer Epidemiology, 53, 27-34. [More Information]
2017
- Hanly, P., Pearce, A., Sharp, L. (2017). Cancer and productivity loss in the Irish economy: an employer's perspective. Irish Journal of Medical Science, 36(1), 5-20. [More Information]
- Pearce, A., Haas, M., Viney, R., Pearson, S., Haywood, P., Brown, C., Ward, R. (2017). Incidence and severity of self-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care: A prospective cohort study. PloS One, 12(10), 1-12. [More Information]
- Alforque Thomas, A., Pearce, A., Sharp, L., Gardiner, R., Chambers, S., Aitken, J., Molcho, M., Baade, P. (2017). Socioeconomic disadvantage but not remoteness affects short-term survival in prostate cancer: A population-based study using competing risks. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 13(2), e31-e40. [More Information]
2016
- Pearce, A., Ryan, F., Drummond, F., Alforque Thomas, A., Timmons, A., Sharp, L. (2016). Comparing the costs of three prostate cancer follow-up strategies: a cost minimisation analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer, 24(2), 879-886. [More Information]
- Pearce, A., Bradley, C., Hanly, P., O'Neill, C., Alforque Thomas, A., Molcho, M., Sharp, L. (2016). Projecting productivity losses for cancer-related mortality 2011 - 2030. BMC Cancer, 16(1), 804. [More Information]
- Alforque Thomas, A., Pearce, A., O'Neill, C., Molcho, M., Sharp, L. (2016). Urban-rural differences in cancer-directed surgery and survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 71(5), 468-474. [More Information]
2015
- Pearce, A., Haas, M., Viney, R., Haywood, P., Pearson, S., Van Gool, K., Srasuebkul, P., Ward, R. (2015). Can administrative data be used to measure chemotherapy side effects? Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 15(2), 215-222. [More Information]
- Alforque Thomas, A., Gallagher, P., O'Ceilleachair, A., Pearce, A., Sharp, L., Molcho, M. (2015). Distance from treating hospital and colorectal cancer survivors' quality of life: a gendered analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer, 23, 741-751. [More Information]
- Pearce, A., Timmons, A., O'Sullivan, E., Gallagher, P., Gooberman-Hill, R., Alforque Thomas, A., Molcho, M., Butow, P., Sharp, L. (2015). Long-term workforce participation patterns following head and neck cancer. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 9, 30-39. [More Information]
2014
- Pearce, A., Van Gool, K., Haywood, P., Haas, M. (2014). Delays in access to affordable medicines: Putting policy into perspective - Authors' response. Australian Health Review, 38(1), 16-17. [More Information]
- Alforque Thomas, A., Timmons, A., Molcho, M., Pearce, A., Gallagher, P., Butow, P., O'Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., O’Neill, C., Sharp, L. (2014). Quality of life in urban and rural settings: A study of head and neck cancer survivors. Oral Oncology, 50(7), 676-682. [More Information]
- Hanly, P., Pearce, A., Sharp, L. (2014). The cost of premature cancer-related mortality: a review and assessment of the evidence. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 14(3), 355-377. [More Information]
2013
- Pearce, A., Haas, M., Viney, R. (2013). Are the true impacts of adverse events considered in economic models of antineoplastic drugs? A systematic review. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 11, 619-637. [More Information]
- Noushi, F., Spillane, A., Uren, R., Cooper, R., Allwright, S., Snook, K., Gillett, D., Pearce, A., Gebski, V. (2013). High discordance rates between sub-areolar and peri-tumoural breast lymphoscintigraphy. European Journal of Surgical Oncology, 39(10), 1053-1060. [More Information]
2012
- Pearce, A., van Gool, K., Haywood, P., Haas, M. (2012). Delays in access to affordable medicines: putting policy into perspective. Australian Health Review, 34, 412-418. [More Information]
- Pearce, A., Smead, J., Cameron, I. (2012). Retrospective cohort study of accident outcomes for individuals who have successfully undergone driver assessment following stroke. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 59(1), 56-62. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2023
- Stroke survivor preferences for upper limb therapy following stroke, Pearce A, DVC Research/External Research Collaboration Seed Funding
2022
- Artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance breast cancer screening: Womens preferences and uptake, Pearce A, Sydney Cancer Institute/Sydney Cancer Institute Seed Grant